Lana Intl Home and Garden

Faces of people have been captured in many famous photographs down the ages. Portrait photography emphasizes on not just the characters but on their qualities as well, thereby bringing the frozen frames to life.

A well done portrait photograph doesn’t follow convention, and displays the character in a state of mind that makes the picture striking. However, portrait photographs are also done in the conventional style with a single person or the whole family as subjects, and these often end up in family albums.

The most important thing in a portrait image is the close up, and the countenance of the subject must come out prominently in it. This is achieved by a common camera trick of making the background a little bit foggy and indistinct so that the subject’s face gets the maximum focus. A wider aperture used in a camera can achieve perfect results for this purpose. However, in some portrait photographs where the individual wants to be seen as part of the background, especially in photographs taken out in the open, a normal aperture serves the purpose better.

Without ample light available to shoot, photographers find it difficult to take a good picture. But an impressive portrait photograph is simpler to click if certain basic rules are adhered to. A facial profile of a person sitting by a window looks unique and appealing, especially when daylight brightens a part of the face. A reflective sheet can be employed to highlight the other side of the person’s face. However, portrait photography is best shot in studios as lights can be controlled there.

Another important factor that determines a good portrait photograph is the comfort level of the subject when he or she poses for the image. Technical sophistication in photography will yield results only when the person being photographed is comfortable and relaxed, and projects his or her real self before the camera.

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One of the questions that often arises when thinking about a wedding is ‘Do I need a wedding planner?’ It might be helpful to take a look at what wedding planners do before you decide if you want to invest in one. Wedding planners will add to the cost of the wedding, but is it worth it?

When deciding whether or not you want to use a wedding planner’s services, you first must ask yourself if you have the time to plan a wedding. Often times, work, pets or children cam make planning a wedding incredibly difficult. A wedding planner, as a professional of the industry should be very familiar with the different vendors. They can help you with food, decorations, flowers, photography and more. In many cases the wedding venue will have an in-house wedding planner. These planners should be available as much as you would like to use them.

On-site wedding planners or in other words, wedding planners that are employed by the wedding venue, will be able to work out the venue details. They will be able to attend to the dance floor, seating arrangements, decorations, bar, catering and more.

You may also want to ask how long the wedding planner has been in business. Do they have previous clients you can speak to? Ask them how their experience was. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Wedding planners should also have books of photography of their past weddings. Make sure you personal style meshes with the wedding planner. If you have traditional tastes, then a contemporary planner may not work.

Be sure your personalities mesh. Does the wedding planner understand your needs and do they have the same vision of your wedding that you do? This cannot be stressed enough. With all the pressures of organizing a wedding, be sure the person you are working closest with helps calm you and doesn’t add to your aggravation.

A wedding planner worthy of being selected should have connections with vendors and be able to work out special deals for you. Deals you would not be able to get without their influence. They should know which vendor will be able to assist in making sure your wedding wishes come true.

You always have the choice as to how much or how little you use a wedding planner. You can choose to have the planner attend to every detail of the wedding or you can choose to simply have the planner available to answer questions and offer suggestions. They will be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to picking a dress, a cake, a photographer and just about any other detail of the wedding. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of their services, whether they are employed by the wedding venue or are acting as an outside consultant, their goal will be to make sure your wedding day is magical.

Wedding planners are there to help you and if you use them for the entire wedding planning process, they should be someone you like and want to spend time with. Choose your wedding planner carefully to make sure you are treated like a queen. Wedding planners are trained in working with others, networking and negotiating, so if it’s in your budget, it’s worth it.

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Planning a new bathroom design requires careful consideration. There are many things to consider before you start. The process may seem daunting, but with careful research and a lot of renovation organization is soft.

After living in a house for several years is common to want change. The best way to achieve this is simply to remodel the rooms. The first place most people start with the bathroom.

Making plans is essential to any large project. There are so many things to think and organize things properly without these thoughts are neglected. Make a list to zoom out.

Making plans

Think about what type of renovation project is needed. There are lots of different contractors and many of them specialize in certain areas. more jobs are likely to require the services of more than one person. It can be even much of what can be done without professional help.

Each city has its own laws and regulations that require a variety of permits should be obtained before any construction. Remember to check this before you start. The city sent an inspector to check all aspects of remodeling and the required documents will be published.

One aspect that many people often forget that alternative plans for the facility. When a bathroom is broken anyone can use. Some strategies for this situation can include the use of toilets neighbor or even stay elsewhere during the renovation.

Think about the details of the renovation. Little things such as machinery and other ornaments are often pushed to one side and sometimes even forgotten. Do not leave these questions until the last minute.

Keep a notebook of all the steps in the room. improvement stores can be very useful, but are very limited, if not provided with adequate room dimensions. All these things easily accessible when you are shopping for new health facilities.

The best way to ensure the timely completion of any project is setting a goal. People work best when there is a specific date or a guideline. Create a termination point will be a tight schedule.

Construction of a new bathroom design is not difficult. The fact is that the mere implementation of the plan of care that everything can be done much less difficult. The effort put into the project all worth it when the renovation is complete.

Ready to find new and innovative ideas for designing a new bathroom? When you start a redesign project sure to research many different ideas. Get tips and free advice, visit www.SmallBathroomMakeovers.com of Tom Wesley

The image of a Paris apartment brings the thought of intrigue, romance, and European beauty to mind. Rooms have high ceilings with grand architectural details. A small balcony with a wrought iron railing overlooks a quaint street or the River Seine. Windows are tall. Pedestrians bustle on the streets below.

Paris apartment decorating style ranges through many decorating periods, including baroque, rococo, and neoclassical. Contemporary Parisian apartments incorporate art deco, Mediterranean, old world, and cabaret influences.

Rich jewel colors like emerald green, crimson, and royal blues are accented with black, white, and gold.

Burnished gilt touches accent architectural details and carving on furniture.

Furniture and accessories have time-worn elegance and a vintage look. Chairs, tables, and armoires painted in black or cream bear golden accents. They blend beautifully with dark, carved wood. Rich, shimmering silks and luxurious brocades and velvets enhance upscale interiors.

To finish out a Paris style interior, accessories and motifs include vintage posters of French nightspots, French signs, large train station clocks, black wrought iron tables and shelving, and any scenes of France, Paris, or the Eiffel Tower.

If you’re trying to bring the Paris apartment decorating style to your home, try to incorporate some of these elements in your space:

* Black is the accent color and a unifying element in Paris rooms. Bring black into your home without making things look dark. Find painted wood furniture, picture frames, fabrics, lampshades and accessories in black or with black trim.

* To really bring Paris to your room, use large posters of French landmarks, nightspots, and Parisian buildings. If you can find paintings, etchings, old black and white postcards, or sepia-toned photos of anything French, all the better.
* Large clocks are often a focal point in a Paris room. Find a reproduction clock with lettering in French or that shows a French scene. The older it looks, the better! It doesn’t have to work. It just has to look great!
* Toile, roosters, fleurs de lis, chateaux, pastoral scenes, views of the Eiffel Tower, Monet impressionist paintings, and pictures of riverboats on the Seine are popular decorating motifs that are easy to find.
* Don’t try to match the elements in your room. Furniture and accessories should look old and used, but not shabby.
* For light fixtures, select wall sconces with black silk shades, crystal chandeliers, and fringed lampshades on table lamps. A gold foil lining on a black lampshade will help to reflect a romantic glow. Add your own beads, fringe, and cording to simple lampshades if you can’t find any already embellished.
* Round tables should have layers of skirts. Add a plush cushion to an intricately twisted iron benches. Nothing says Paris more than a little bistro table and chairs. Use a large ottoman covered in rich fabric in place of a coffee table.
* Velvet, damask, brocade, lustrous silks, and traditional toiles are found in Paris style rooms. Toile is often paired with coordinating color checked fabrics in both large and small scales. Add a luxurious old-world look with tassels, cording, fringes, and other details. Textured linen, weathered leather, paisley designs, and bold stripes can be used.
* Furniture should be upholstered with beautiful fabrics, dressmaker details, and have carved legs. Cushions of down provide the slightly rumpled look of comfort and elegance.
* Wood furniture pieces of carved, dark tones or stains are often tinged with touches of gilt. Black and ivory paint, distressed and crackled, give wood pieces an aged look. There’s no such thing as matching furniture. Pieces should look as though they were found through a lifetime.
* Every Paris style bedroom has a decadent vanity table. Add a luxurious look to a simple table by dressing it with silk, mirrors, and voluminous ruffles. Dress it with vintage accessories, frames, and perfume bottles.
* Use large vintage mirrors, architectural elements (columns, corbels), garden statuary, black wireware, clocks, hat boxes, luxurious silk pillows, soft throws, vintage candelabra, flowers, plants, china, and delicate porcelain figurines to accessorize a Paris style room. Find dramatic hats or vintage linens at swap meets and antique shops.

* Depending on the style of the room and its use, windows can have elaborate, flowing drapery panels topped with swagged valances, ruffles, tassels, silk cording, or bouillon fringes. A simpler room could use linen or toile panels over shutters or wooden blinds.
* Hardwood flooring is stained dark and covered with old Oriental carpets. They add a grounding pattern, color, and age.

Paris apartment interiors appeal to our sense of glamour and European style. By using some of the elements here, you can bring the look to your own home.

When you think of Provence and the French countryside, you’re sure to see lavender fields and bright sunshine. While there are many elements that contribute to the French Country style of decorating, the resulting look is always rustic, old-world, and welcoming. The look fits well into both country houses and elegant, old chateaux. The French Country style of decorating, with its warm and casual feel will fit beautifully into your home as well.

Colors used to decorate in the French Country style come from the full spectrum of the color wheel. Sunny yellow and soft gold, firey red and burnt rust, bright grass green and dark hunter green, cobalt blue and soft ocean tones — all these are found in this wonderful decorating style.

Bright black and dull grays punctuate the bright colors and define accessory pieces. Rusted metal furniture, lighting fixtures, and furniture give warm color and wonderful lines.

An important element in pieces used in French Country style decorating is the use of natural materials. Rough stained or painted plaster walls, hefty beamed ceilings and walls, delicate carved wood details, and chair seats woven of rush give texture and simplicity to the look. Natural stone floors are covered with wool or cotton rugs.

No real French Country home is complete without a stone fireplace. A heavy beam at the top of the opening serves as a mantle. Tiles, either stone or ceramic, form the border. The hearth is clay or brick, and herbs, copper pots, and iron accessory pieces hang on the side walls.

Read on for more ideas on how to create the look of the French Country style of decorating in your home. Use some or all of the elements to feel comfortable with this style.

Architectural features like stone walls and floors, raw wood distressed ceiling beams and timbers, and irregular plaster walls form the frame of a home decorated in the French Country style.

New or reproduction ]rustic furniture has the ambiance of curved panels, hand-carved decorations, and raw wood. No room decorated in the French Country style would be without an armoire to store pots and pans, clothing, bed or bath linens, or tableware.

A large dining table, rectangle or round, must have a dull waxed or low-sheen finish. Curved and carved details grace dining and occasional chairs. Chairs are either ladderback style or have vertical slats, often with rush seating.

Rustic flooring is of stone, clay, or brick. Old wooden boards work well, too. The focus here is on old and charming.

Typical of French Country interiors are pieces with contrasting texture and color. Pale plaster walls and ceilings are punctuated with dark rough wood beams. Colorful Provencal printed fabrics are set off against light-toned natural seating.

Deeply cut window sills hold tall, narrow windows. Shutters close to keep the hot sun out in the summer. Windows and doorways are encircled with wildly growing vines.

The beautiful colors of the French countryside decorate fabrics used in French Country decorating. The traditional fabrics combine well with basic plaids, checks, and stripes in modern homes. Provencal prints combine shades of primary colors with greens, lavenders, and bright orange.

Traditional French country products and motifs include roosters, olives, sunflowers, grapes, lavendar, and beetles. The designs are often arranged in regular intervals, bordered by a wide panel of the motifs in different scale. This is typical for textile products such as tablecloths and curtain panels.

Toile is a traditional design for French Country fabrics. A white, cream, or yellow ground has large motifs in a single contrasting color, such as black, blue, red, or green. Toile themes include farm animals, monkeys and Chinese patterns, bucolic country scenes, or courting scenes of the 18th century. Most toile patterns are printed on linen or cotton.

Generous baskets woven or wire baskets, colorful ceramics and tiles, carved wood pieces, and Chinoiserie pottery, and natural grasses are used for accessories in a room decorated in the French Country style. Old, dark or colorful paintings adorn the walls.

Lush natural flowers are everywhere! Baskets, an old pitcher or copper pot, or clear glass vases hold flowers inside and out. The aim is to bring the wonderful colors and textures of nature into the home. Window boxes outside shout with the colors of whatever will grow. Geraniums and lavender are especially popular.

Both colorful and muted pottery adorns a French Country table. (No fine china here!) The same themes of roosters, olives, and vivid flowers are found on tableware. Don’t forget iron candle holders, wire baskets, heavy pottery water pitchers, and colorful tablecloths.

By incorporating some or all of the elements mentioned here, you’re bound to have a wonderful French Country interior in your home. C’est bon!

It’s not just first-time homeowners who have to find budget furniture. In fact almost everyone, at one time or another, had to furnish a home or apartment on a budget. I know that I borrowed furniture from my parents, gratefully took grandparents’ offerings, and shopped at garage sales.

But eventually I wanted something to trade out the hand-me-downs from family and strangers for things that would actually help me create a more mature and coordinated home.

I had to find ways to stretch my mini-budget without sacrificing my taste for nice things. I was surprised to find out how many places there were to find bargains.

Don’t expect to find exactly what you want or need. You might have to be creative and adapt what you can find to what you need.

Learn to see pieces for the details and lines they have, not just for what you can put in them. If you see a beautiful teak table instead of the mahogany desk you need, thing about refinishing it and adding filing drawers. A period side table can be painted and moved into the bedroom.

Don’t buy a piece if you’ll need to do too much work on it. Think about your skills and the time you have and the space you have to work in.

See if your neighborhood has some of these sources for budget furniture:

* Garage Sales
You might be able to walk next door on a Saturday morning and find just the piece you need. What your neighbor is getting rid of may be just the piece you need. When shopping at a garage sale, always bring cash, look for defects, and be ready to negotiate on the price. It’s usually expected and you can often get a great bargain.

* Flea Markets
Many communities and colleges stage flea markets on weekends at large parking lots. Vendors set up their wares and you can wander around looking for what you need. Beware: you might not find what you need but you probably won’t get away without buying something.

* Your Neighborhood Dumpsters or Curbside
As you take a walk around your neighborhood, keep your eyes open for furniture pieces left on the curb. The end of the month is a good time, since that’s when people are clearing out their homes to get ready to move. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” as the saying goes. I found a great wrought iron table and bench on the curb once–both at the same house. I sanded off the rust and painted the pieces with rust-proof finishing paint. The table is on my patio and the bench at the end of my bed.

* Thrift Stores and Junk Stores
Local charities, Goodwill, and the Salvation Army often provide thrift stores where people can bring their household discards and unneeded furniture to donate for tax deduction. The money raised from making sales goes into your local community to help those in need. It might take a few trips and perseverance, but if you’re successful you’ll really get a bargain. Enlist friends to be on the lookout, too.

* Consignment Stores
A great strategy for consignment store shopping is to introduce yourself to the owner and ask them to call when your needed item comes in. People bring their things to be sold and they get only a portion of the sale. A hospital in my community has a consignment store that receives beautiful estate pieces. I’ve sold and bought things there.

* Model Home Furnishings
Home builders contract with designers to decorate and furnish their model homes. If you see a model you like, ask the sales office when they’ll remove the furnishings. Ask where they sell their pieces. You might even be able to buy a roomful of furniture, coordinated by a designer. And you’ll get the pieces well below market price. Beware of fading, spots, or wear-and-tear.

* Design Center Showroom Samples
Most large cities have Design Centers and Merchandise Marts that have “sample sales” monthly or quarterly where discontinued furnishings that have been used as showroom samples are sold. The sales are often advertised in local newspapers.

* Furniture Store Scratch and Dent Rooms
Almost every furniture store or department has a back corner where damaged pieces are sold at deep discount. Visit often to keep an eye on what goes back there.

* Furniture Store Clearance Outlets and Sales
Many major department and furniture stores have outlet center with ongoing or periodic furniture sales. Often the tags are marked with dates and prices are reduced every 30 or 60 days. Furniture in these outlets may be either scratched, a second, and overrun, repossessed, or otherwise imperfect. However, prices will generally reflect any imperfections and may also be negotiable.

* Auction Houses and Online Auctions
These are a great place to find unique furniture and decor items. If you actually go to an auction, visit on preview days to check out each piece for damage. If you’re buying large furniture, you need to find out where your item is located. It wouldn’t make any sense to pay more for shipping than the actual cost of the item. You’ll pay dearly for real antiques but can get a great bargain, especially if there aren’t any other bidders.

* Trade with Family or Friends
I gave my brother a large cabinet for his living room and he gave me my grandparents’ living room table. When they moved out of state, we traded back. Great deal!

If you live in an apartment or any area where you have limited outdoor space for a garden, don’t despair. With a little planning, you can become a hobby gardener and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Container gardening offers many possibilities. One advantage of containers is that they are portable. You can take advantage of good weather by placing plants on a window ledge, in a window box or on a patio. During severe weather, they may be moved to a protected area. Most small to medium sized plants can be grown in containers. As long as you provide sufficient room for root growth and control nutrients, water and light, you can achieve marvelous results in container.

Types of containers can run the gamut from plastic or metal pots, ceramic pots to wooden planters. It is important to have pots that can drain. If placed in an area where water could damage a surface, set the planter in a tray. The tray may be filled with gravel to raise the bottom of the planter above the tray surface to allow good drainage. Stagnant water may”drown” a plant and cause it to die or perform poorly.

Use of a good planting medium that contains nutrients and has excellent moisture retention will insure good plant growth and less frequent watering will be required.

Container gardeners are only limited by their imagination. With the proliferation of dwarf fruit trees, it is even possible to grow fruit trees in containers in very limited spaces. Peaches, apples, blueberries and many others are within the scope of the container gardener.

Basements with controlled temperatures are good candidates for growing plants or starting seedlings. Shelves with grow lights hung above them can be used for starting seedlings or for growing small flowers, herbs or similar plants. African violets especially grow well in such environments. Lights can be lowered near the plants and you can see them responds with the horizontal growth of the leaves and stems and the vigorous upward thrusting blooms. You can enjoy placing violets in strategic places in your home and if they begin to falter, cycle them back to the space under the grow light to rejuvenate them. If they develop multiple crowns, they may be separated and re-potted and shared with friends.

Metal buckets and cans may be used for planters, and when you are ready to place them in your home, they may be concealed inside a wicker basket, painted, wrapped with attractive foil and a bow or any number of ways to improve the appearance. This is a good way to recycle containers.

It is very fulfilling to plant seeds in small containers or peat pots and watch them germinate. As they increase in size, they are re-potted into larger containers and fertilized with the proper nutrients. Some species may be “pinched” back to retard the plant size or to increase the size of blooms or fruit. Consult a suitable plant guide to determine the best methods of caring for the different plant types.

With containers, you have a choice of planting annuals or perennials. Try a mixture of plants that compliment each other. Some may last for years and require minimal care, but others may require replacement each season. Pansies are excellent annual choices. Roses would be longer-lasting choices, but require pruning and close attention.

A small nook in the yard could be planted with wildflowers that require little attention. Don’t overlook small spaces that have good lighting as possible “mini-gardens” that can provide beauty and enjoyment for you, your family and friends.

Modular homes are built in sections in a factory setting, indoors, where they are never subjected to adverse weather conditions. The sections move through the factory, with the company’s quality control department checking them after every step. Finished modules are covered for protection, then transported to your home site. They are placed on a pre-made foundation, joined, and completed by your local builder.

How long does it take to build a modular home?

That depends on your design and the manufacturer, but some modular homes can be built in the factory in as little as 1-2 weeks. And since modulars are built indoors, there’s never a weather delay. It usually takes another 2-4 weeks for your local builder to complete the home once it’s delivered to the building site.

They sound like mobile homes. Are they the same thing?

Mobile homes, now called manufactured homes, are built to conform to the same federal code, no matter where they will be delivered. That code is called the HUD code.

A modular home conforms to the building codes that are required at the specific location it will be delivered to, and in many cases construction exceeds the required codes.

Don’t all modular homes look alike?

No, and unless you were there to see the house delivered and assembled, you might not guess it’s a modular home. Modular home manufacturers use computer aided design programs to draw plans to your specifications, or to modify one of their standard plans to suit your needs, so nearly any home plan can be turned into a modular home.

It’s true that some modulars are very basic and resemble double wide manufactured homes, but the two structures are still built in different ways.

Each manufacturer is different, so be sure to ask questions about flexibility if you would like to design your own home.

Will banks finance a modular home?

Yes. Most banks, appraisers, and insurance companies treat modular homes the same way they do site built homes–a house that’s constructed entirely on your property. Ask the mortgage brokers and banks in your area to explain how they finance modular homes.

Can I save money by building a modular home?

Sometimes. Construction costs for a modular home are sometimes less per square foot than for a similar site-built home. And there are other cost-saving features:

* Many modular homes are very energy efficient, which helps reduce your heating and cooling costs.
* Your home will probably be ready to move into much sooner than if you wait for a builder to construct a house on-site.

Try to visit model homes in your area. If you think modulars are ho-hum, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

So you’re on the market for a new bed. Here are some commonsense tips to make you a happy owner of the bed that’s bound to give you sweet dreams. (wink, wink)

First, you’ll want a bed that’s big enough for you, or for two, if you are buying with your significant other. But how big is big? Only one way to find out: Lie on the prospective bed with arms stretched on your sides. Now that will give you an idea on how much space you require (plus your partner’s). Of course you need to consider your height,too. The idea is you need as much space to be comfy as you sleep without falling off or waking your partner up. And, yeah, you need to make sure it fits in your bedroom.

Next, is the firmness or softness of the bed. This isn’t the same for everybody. For one, people with back problems tend to choose firm matresses while almost everybody needs something between firm and soft. Again, to check if that bed is just right, you’ll need to lie on it for at least 10 minutes. Don’t be shy, you wouldn’t want to end up with a bed that’s less than comfy, right?

Then comes the bed’s height. You’ll want to get on and off the bed with ease so it follows that it should be the right height. Again, it’s best to try getting on and off the bed while you are choosing the right one.

Lastly, carefully consider the brand and the price. I’m not saying cheap beds are bad but then branded ones have a lot going for them like quality, warranty, the works. They wouldn’t have become well known for nothing. But just because the bed is pricey doesn’t mean its the best. Just do the tips mentioned here and you can’t go wrong. On that note, simplicity is good and never buy something with gadgets that you don’t know how to operate. So there! Happy buying and sweet dreams.

Learn more about this author, Amira Colter.